Harry Monk:
I’m ok driving rigids until I have to go backwards, then I always turn the steering wheel the wrong way.
nearly put a rigid into a wall once because of that 
pig pen:
thelorryist:
Mines 12.3 meters long. Huge over hang.Really
, I wouldn`t brag about that
The nice people in the silver galaxys will slap you with the construction and use book.
i read that yesterday, and have only just realised you weren’t refering to the addison lee taxis 
thelorryist:
Mines 12.3 meters long. Huge over hang.
The one I drove for Keyline was longer than that. 
In all my time as a class 2 driver and doing London regular, I can’t say it’s difficult at all although I’ve never done class 1. Apart from 1 or 2 places that I can think of, Leathams in the Peckham area can be a right pain in the rear and Katsouris Elveden Place at Park Royal but then again I’ve seen artics struggle to get in these places.
thelorryist:
I.e I have class 1, I’m paid to drive, I don’t care what I drive. Just don’t look down on me.
Same as that mate, couldn’t have put it better myself!
Harry Monk:
thelorryist:
Mines 12.3 meters long. Huge over hang.The one I drove for Keyline was longer than that.
I reckon that’l be overloaded on the front axle H.
Nate:
pig pen:
thelorryist:
Mines 12.3 meters long. Huge over hang.Really
i read that yesterday, and have only just realised you weren’t refering to the addison lee taxis
And I thought it was only me had a thing about Addision Lee drivers,one day someone will smear one up the wall big time
I remember a few years ago being sent to Leamington in a rigid. The drop was on the right of a busy street and I stopped opposite the gate for ages waiting for a gap.
Eventually someone flashed me and slowed to let me through and I set off - only to realize that I was too far forward and was going to miss the gate by a mile. Of course the ■■■■■ stuck behind me had closed up, and it took me a dozen embarrassing shunts to get into a wide open gate.
Yep, know what you mean, got sent out today on a run to Norwich, Cromer and some other place I can’t pronounce, not a problem, but when I asked for the trailer number plate,(they keep them in the office), she say’s “it’s a rigid, love you don’t need one”, flipping heck, it also had a big stick in the middle of the cab, what’s that for I wondered.
Needless to say, I had a lot of fun getting in and out of some of these places, I could probably have got into them easy enough with an artic, but, I took ages trying to reverse in and out, I kept turning the wheel the wrong way, must have looked like a real prat to anyone watching. Still, it was good to get back to basics, yes, hats off to all you rigid drivers out there, it ain’t easy.
Sapper
As I posted above, it’s nice to receive praise from people who have put them selves In that position
All we need now is some ■■■ to come along bragging he can do this that and the other and steer it with his knob, back wards, whilst on the phone to David Cameron collecting crude oil in Iraq. Machine gunning a stobart a driver trying to push in a que…
At the end of the day, ill repeat it as many times as I have to , I may be qualified to drive artics, but if you pay me a reasonable rate and you want it steering from A to B. Ill do it.
Push iron, car, van, 7.5t rigid or bendy. Ill drive it without moaning…
Today me and the Class 2 visited Newcastle and Yorkshire. Little farms and places. Deep joy. Tried to turn it round in a farm gate/gateway and made myself look a right ■■■. Doing wrong lock and shunting more times than I care to mention. The farmer said " shall I do it" Lord kill me now came to mind.
London Pt2 tomorrow. I WILL do better!!!
Respect again
I can work my 4 days and over them i can be in an 18T, 26T, Urban steering artic, 45ft artic
I never know which way to bloody turn! Out of that lot the urban artics are the easiest.
Called in to trial a new run yesterday in an 18t, at same rate as I get for C+E, basically calling in at a couple of places to collect the overspill they can’t get on the trailers. Briefed the office and agency on how it went, agent said they wanted a C+E driver in case they need to put an artic on some days and asked if I wanted it, enjoyed myself so much it is now MY run , pity it’s only til Xmas.
splitshift:
Nate:
pig pen:
thelorryist:
Mines 12.3 meters long. Huge over hang.Really
i read that yesterday, and have only just realised you weren’t refering to the addison lee taxis
And I thought it was only me had a thing about Addision Lee drivers,one day someone will smear one up the wall big time
And if there is any justice in the world, we will be there to see it happen.
philmots:
I can work my 4 days and over them i can be in an 18T, 26T, Urban steering artic, 45ft articI never know which way to bloody turn! Out of that lot the urban artics are the easiest.
I start Monday doing the same, the 26T ridgids are giving me nightmares. The overhang is around 9’, more if you raise the tag axle.
Wayne:
philmots:
I can work my 4 days and over them i can be in an 18T, 26T, Urban steering artic, 45ft articI never know which way to bloody turn! Out of that lot the urban artics are the easiest.
I start Monday doing the same, the 26T ridgids are giving me nightmares. The overhang is around 9’, more if you raise the tag axle.
Watch the tail swing it’s easy to clear a pavement
ladder49:
Wayne:
philmots:
I can work my 4 days and over them i can be in an 18T, 26T, Urban steering artic, 45ft articI never know which way to bloody turn! Out of that lot the urban artics are the easiest.
I start Monday doing the same, the 26T ridgids are giving me nightmares. The overhang is around 9’, more if you raise the tag axle.
Watch the tail swing it’s easy to clear a pavement
That’s what I am worried about,lots of kerbside drops. Nice brand spanking new fleet of ridgids though, shame about the shabby units.
Why is the turning circle on a rigid like trying to turn around the Titanic, on a 3 point turn i look like a complete nib head with the car drivers waiting for me to get out of their way after about 38 shunts.
Longer wheelbase @ toby.
On a typical rigid, the front wheels will need to sweep out a larger circle to get the back ones to turn a full concentric one too.
On a tractor unit, the circle you need from the front wheels is a lot smaller ('cos the wheels are closer together on a unit). If there’s a trailer, it pivots round with the tractor on the 5th wheel, which drastically reduces the amount of turn needed from the front wheels. So no need for a massive turn, just get the unit round, and she’ll follow.
I think wag-n-drags might need big circles though due to the prime mover being a rigid. Maybe someone better than me can come along and correct me if I’m wrong. I’m only a class 2 driver these days, so just saying this from how I understand it theoretically.
Desperate:
In all my time as a class 2 driver and doing London regular, I can’t say it’s difficult at all although I’ve never done class 1. Apart from 1 or 2 places that I can think of, Leathams in the Peckham area can be a right pain in the rear and Katsouris Elveden Place at Park Royal but then again I’ve seen artics struggle to get in these places.
Would never put another driver down due to his licence, but used to go into Katsouris in Park Royal for gist and cannot believe
a driver would struggle to get into those bays? you serious mate.